Material straightening apparatus



May 30, 1944. A. J. N. DucLos v MATERIAL STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1942 /NvE/v To@ 8 AJA/.0067.05

m swim A 7' TORNEV Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATERIAL STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Application April 29, 1942, 'Serial No. 44.1,039

6 Claims.

This invention relates to material straightening apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for measuring lead covered cable and straightening the cable so that the measurement thereof may be accurate.

The lack of rigidity in lead covered cable and other like materials as well as the Weight thereof, renders such structures difcult to measure accurately due to their natural tendency to bend while being advanced or to retain a portion of the curved contour when being withdrawn from a supply reel.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is simple in structure and highly ecient in straightening material.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a guide for an advancing material and sets of straightening rolls mounted for variation in relative positions for receiving materials of different sizes to straighten the materials during advancement thereof.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Attention is now directed to the drawing, wherein reference numeral I designates in general the frame of the structure, shown having a table portion I formed of suitable material such as metal angles. Legs I2 supporting the table portion may also be formed of angle members and secured to the table portion with suitable reenforcing members. A bracket I4 of a suitable structure is mounted at one end of the table, to support a guide I5 for material to be straightened and measured, such as a lead covered cable I6. In the present embodiment the material or cable is advanced from a supply reel and by suitable means (not shown) through an aperture |`I in the guide I5, the aperture-being flared outwardly toward the entrance end thereof to readily receive the cable from different relatively angular directions and allow free movement of the cable therethrough. After leaving the guide I5 the cable passes between a pair of grooved rolls I8, these rolls being mounted on suitable shafts I9 supported by a transverse member mounted upon the table portion II. The grooves, indicated at 2|, in the rolls I8 are of suflicient cross-sectional dimensions to receive the largest cable (as shown) and will eflciently guide this as well as smaller cables during their advancement.

After the cable leaves the rolls I8 it passes between a set of straightening rolls 23, these rolls having V-shaped grooves 24 in their peripheries, as illustrated in Fig, 2, to receive cables of various sizes, that is, of various cross-sectional dimensions. The rolls 23 are rotatably mounted on shafts 25, the latter being disposed adjacent the vends of a supporting element 26 of the contour illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

At the center of the supporting element 26 a pivot 2B is provided therefor, the pivot being in the form of a stub shaft mounted in a cross member 2S, the latter being mounted upon the table portion l. A spring 30, having one end fixed to the supporting element 26 adjacent one of the shafts 25 and the other end fixed to the member 29, normally urges the supporting element with the rolls counterclockwise, to normally urge the adjacent end of the element in engagement with an adjustable locating screw 3|. The screw 3| is threadedly disposed in an internally threaded bracket 32 mounted upon the table portion I I. A handle or hand wheel 33 is mounted upon the outer end of the screw 3|, to assist in the adjustment of the screw for variations in the positions of the rolls 23, relative to the path of advancement of the material.

Another set of rolls 35, identical in structure with the set of rolls 23, with V-shaped grooves 36 in the peripheries thereof is mounted upon shafts 3l. The shafts 31 are mounted in the ends of a supporting element 38 which is identical in contour to the element 26, the element 38 being mounted at its center upon a pivot 39, the latter being supported by a bracket 40. The bracket 40 is of the contour illustrated in Figs. l and 2 and is mounted on the end of the frame Il) to position the rolls 35 to receive the cable during its advancement, lthese rolls, however, being disposed in a plane at right angles to the rolls 23. In other words, the axes of the rolls 35 lie in a plane at right angles to the axes of the rolls 23. The supporting element 38 is also provided with a spring 4|, to normally urge one end of the element in engagement with an adjustable locating screw 42, one end of the spring being xed to the element, the other end fixed to the bracket All. The screw l2 is disposed in an internally threaded portion 43 of the bracket 46, a handle or hand wheel 4 4 being mounted ving of the cable.

,3G and fi! upon the outer end of the screw 42 to assist in the rotation thereof.

Interposed between the sets of rolls 23 and 35 is a counter mechanism, indicated generally at 46, and including a counter unit 41 of the conventional type actuable by a counter wheel 48, the latter being rotatably supported for engagement with the portion of the cable between the sets of straightening rolls. The counter unit and the counter wheel are supported by a bracket 49, the latter being mounted on a cross member 50 for lateral adjustment by any suitable means (not shown) through the assistance oi screws or bolts receivable in elongate aperture I of the cross member to locate the counter wheel 48 in proper engagement with the surface of the cable during its advancement from one set of rolls to the other. A yoke 52, to assure positioning of the cable in engagement with the wheel 48, is grooved for the cable and has a dovetail or other connection 53 with the bracket 49 where it is mounted for vertical adjustment by an adjusting screw 54.

In preparing the apparatus for operation the size of the cable to be measured and straightened is nrst determined, after which the sets of straightening rolls are adjusted and, if necessary, adjustments made in the counter mechanism. The grooves 2! in the rolls I8 as well as in the aperture l1 in the guide l5 are of Sufcient size to receive cables of various sizes to be straightened. It is important that the relative positions of the rolls in each set of straightening rolls 23 and 35 be varied depending upon the size oi the cable, so that they may effectively straighten the cable for its advancement relative .to the counter mechanism. With the straightening rolls in the position shown, they are located for the largest cable to cause bending of the cable in right angular planes to eiect straighten- A large cable, in passing between the straightening rolls, will travel farther ,i away from the shafts or axes of the rolls than will a smaller cable travel, and for this reason it necessary that the elements 2B and 38 suplporting the rolls 2li-"3 and 35-35 respectively straightening rolls relative to the path of advancement of the material or cable. The springs function to maintain the elements 25 and 33 respectively in engagement with their respective locating screws.

In straightening lead covered cable it is not necessary to give as severe a reverse bend to cable as it passes between the sets of straightening rolls as would be necessary for more resilient materials such as steel wire. The cable passing through the apparatus appears to be straight at all portions but it should be borne in mind that a cable withdrawn from a supply reel and entering the guide i5 at varying angles with respect to the center line of the guide, will not be straight. It is through the functioning of the sets of straightening rolls that the bends are taken out of the cable and the cable is made straight. It, therefore, should be understood that although the cable in advance of the first set of straightening rolls appears straight in the drawing, it is not truly straight, and to illustrate such in the drawing so that it would be readily noticeable would require exaggeration of the contour of the cable. It is believed apparent that with this apparatus materials of various sizes may be straightened during advancement to make possible the accurate measurement of the material.

Although specic improvements of the invention have been shown and described it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various niodiiications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as deiined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A material straightening apparatus comprising supporting elements formed to receive pivots ior their support, separate pivots received by the elements to support their elements in diierent planes angularly disposed relative to each other, pairs of rolls for the elements, and separate means carried by the elements to rotatably support the rolls of each pair equal distances from their pivots to cause their rolls to engage different sides of material advancing longitudinally between the pairs of rolls.

2. A material straightening apparatus comprising supporting elements formed to receive pivots for tli'eir support, separate pivots received by the elements to support their elements in diierent planes angularly disposed relative to each other, pairs of rolls for the elements, separate means carried by the elements to rotatably support the rolls of each pair equal distances `from their pivots to cause their rolls to engage dierent sides oi material advancing longitudinally between the pairs of rolls, and means to move the elements about their pivots to simultaneously vary the positions of the rolls of each relative to the said path.

3. A material straightening apparatus comprising supporting elements formed to receive pivots for their support, separate pivots received by the elements to support their elements in different planes angularly disposed relative to each other, pairs of rolls for the elements, separate means carried by the elements to rotatably support the rolls of each pair equal distances from their pivots to cause their rolls to engage different sides oi material advancing longitudinally between the pairs of rolls, and a locating member for each element adapted to locate its respective element and rolls in variable positions relative to the path of the material.

e. A material straightening apparatus comprising supporting elements formed to receive ,pivots for their sup-port, separate pivots received by the elements to support their elements in diierent planes angularly disposed relative to each other, pairs of rolls for the elements, separate means carried by the elements to rotatably support the rolls of each pair equal distances from their' pivots to cause their rolls to engage diierent sides of material advancing longitudinally between the pairs of rolls, a locating member for each element adapted to locate its respective element and rolls in variable positions relative to the path of the material, and resilient means to hold each element in engagement with its locating member.

.5. A material straightening apparatus comprising supporting elements formed to receive pivots for their support, separate pivots received by the elements to support their elements in diierent planes angularly disposed relative to each other, pairs of rolls for the elements, separate means carried by the elements to rotatably support the rolls of each pair equal distances from their pivots to cause their rolls to engage dierent sides of, material advancing longitudinally between the pairs of rolls, and threaded members mounted for engagement with their respective elements to adjust the elements about their pivots to simultaneously vary the positions of the rolls of each pairvrelative to the said path.

6. A material straightening apparatus comprising supporting elements formed to receive pivots for their support, separate pivots received by the elements to support their elements in different planes angularly disposed relative to each AENEAS J. N. DUCLOS. 

